DENVER, Colo. – The Osage-owned Denver restaurant Tocabe, an American Indian Eatery, announced just hours ago that a car full of irreplaceable Osage clothes was stolen. Tocabe’s owner Ben Jacobs announced that his mother, Jan Jacobs, was the victim of the car theft.
Ben announced that the car was parked in her driveway in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver.
“While the car is replaceable and meaningless, there were many family heirlooms inside the vehicle that are priceless and irreplaceable,” he said.
The Jacobs had returned late at night after a 12-hour drive home from Oklahoma for the Inlonshka dances. Ben described suitcases full of traditional Osage clothes and heirlooms in the trunk, many of which have been passed down for generations.
The items include an eagle wing fan, a pair of beaded women’s moccasins, two women’s yarn belts, a girls broadcloth skirt, two sets of men’s leather leggings and broadcloth men’s suits; a boys broadcloth suit, a men’s horsehair roach and spreader, two boys horsehair roaches, men’s moccasins, boys moccasins, beaded bandoliers, and various adornments and jewelry.
The items were in vintage brown and baby blue hard-sided suitcases.
The Jacobs family asks that anyone in the region keep a lookout for the stolen car, or any of the missing items, with the hope that their Osage clothes will be returned safe and sound.
The stolen car is described as a Navy Blue Honda CRV with the Colorado license plate number 988-WET.
If the car is spotted, please notify the police immediately with the location of the vehicle, and notify Tocabe should anyone come across the missing items.
** UPDATE **
On July 1, Ben Jacobs, Osage owner of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery, posted an update on his social media accounts that the car and Osage clothes were recovered.
“The Aurora police found our mom’s car parked on the street late Thursday afternoon, at which point the vehicle was impounded. After a long night of waiting and hoping, we were able to go pick up the car this morning and find out the fate of our belongings. Thankfully, everything of importance was still in the car! It was certainly rummaged through and while there were things stolen from the vehicle, the items of most importance remained, largely untouched. We have all spent the day breathing sighs of relief and celebrating the return of these family treasures. While the thought of the potential loss was unfathomable, our gratitude for the safe return of these heirlooms is immeasurable.
“Our story has been shared thousands of times by people all over the country. Please know we definitely felt the support and deep sorrow for this loss, not only from our Native brothers and sisters but also from others who sent words of encouragement and concern. We truly believe that the amazing collective energies and care put forth by this giant community made a big difference. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Special thanks to the Denver and Aurora Police Departments who worked on this case. And major gratitude for all of the news outlets who quickly recognized the deep meaning behind this incident and came to speak with our family to help get the word out. Without all of their diligent efforts, the outcome might have been very different for us.
“Please know that we send our immense gratitude and deep appreciation to every single person (known and unknown to us) who said a prayer, shared our story, offered help, and sent positive thoughts to us. It is a reminder that in spite of the negativity in this world, when we come together, the good will always be strong enough to overcome!
“Our deepest thank you to each one of you!!!”
